Therapeutic touch for healing acute wounds

Background Therapeutic Touch (TT) is an alternative therapy that has gained popularity over the past two decades for helping wounds to heal. Practitioners enter ameditative state and pass their hands above the patient’s body to find and correct any imbalances in the patient’s ’life energy’ or chi. Scientific instruments have been unable to detect this energy. The effect of TT on wound healing has been expounded in anecdotal publications. Objectives To identify and review all relevant data to determine the effects of TT on healing acute wounds. Search methods For this fourth update, we searched The Cochrane Wounds Group Specialised Register (searched 27 January 2012); The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (The Cochrane Library 2012, Issue 1); Ovid MEDLINE (2010 to January Week 2 2012); Ovid MEDLINE (In-Process & Other Non-Indexed Citations, January 26, 2012); Ovid EMBASE (2010 to 2012 Week 03); and EBSCO CINAHL (2010 to January 6 2012). Selection criteria All randomised or quasi-randomised controlled trials, which compared the effect of TT with a placebo, another treatment, or no treatment control were considered. Studies which used TT as a stand-alone treatment, or as an adjunct to other therapies, were eligible. Data collection and analysis One author (DO’M) determined the eligibility for inclusion of all trials in the review. Both authors conducted data extraction and evaluation of trial validity independently. Each trial was assessed using predetermined criteria. Main results No new trials were identified for this update. Four trials in people with experimental wounds were included. The effect of TT on wound healing in these studies was variable. Two trials (n = 44 & 24) demonstrated a significant increase in healing associated with TT, while one trial found significantly worse healing after TT and the other found no significant difference. All trials are at high risk of bias. Authors’ conclusions There is no robust evidence that TT promotes healing of acute wounds

Kenyans’ Perceptions of the Risks of COVID-19 Vaccines: A Scoping Review

Background: Vaccination programs are critical in controlling the spread of viral diseases worldwide. The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the critical role of vaccines. Achieving widespread immunization is significantly challenged by vaccine hesitancy, particularly concerns regarding potential risks. The perceptions of Kenyans regarding the risks of COVID-19 vaccines were explored in this scoping review. Methods: The Arksey and O’Malley framework and the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology were used. A search strategy was developed to identify peer-reviewed publications and relevant grey literature from electronic databases and Google. Identified articles were screened using inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data was extracted from and analyzed to identify themes. Results: Twenty-eight articles were included in the scoping review. The most common themes leading to vaccine hesitancy among Kenyans were vaccine safety, vaccine side effects, and lack of knowledge about COVID-19 vaccines. Four other themes were identified and discussed. Conclusion: This review adds to our understanding of the factors influencing vaccine hesitancy during public health emergencies in Kenya. Public health messaging should prioritize addressing these concerns while also advocating for equitable access to the benefits of vaccination

Therapeutic touch for anxiety disorders

Background Anxiety disorders are a common occurrence in today's society. There is interest from the community in the use of complementary therapies for anxiety disorders. This review examined the currently available evidence supporting the use of therapeutic touch in treating anxiety disorders. Objectives To examine the efficacy and adverse effects of therapeutic touch for anxiety disorders. Search strategy We searched the Cochrane Collaboration Depression, Anxiety and Neurosis Controlled Trials Registers (CCDANCTR-Studies and CCDANCTR-References) (search date 13/01/06), the Controlled Trials website and Dissertation Abstracts International. Searches of reference lists of retrieved papers were also carried out and experts in the field were contacted. Selection criteria Inclusion criteria included all published and unpublished randomised and quasi-randomised controlled trials comparing therapeutic touch with sham (mimic) TT, pharmacological therapy, psychological treatment, other treatment or no treatment /waiting list.The participants included adults with an anxiety disorder defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-IV),the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10), validated diagnostic instruments, or other validated clinician or self-report instruments. Data collection and analysis Two review authors independently applied inclusion criteria. Further information was sought from trialists where papers contained insufficant information to make a decision about eligibility. Main results No randomised or quasi-randomised controlled trials of therapeutic touch for anxiety disorders were identified. Authors' conclusions Given the high prevalence of anxiety disorders and the current paucity of evidence on therapeutic touch in this population, there is a need for well conducted randomised controlled trials to examine the effectiveness of therapeutic touch for anxiety disorders

Multimodal behavior of the dynamic magnetic susceptibility spectrum in amorphous CoZrTaB magnetic thin films

The origins of sub-Ferromagnetic Resonance (FMR) multimodal behavior in the magnetic susceptibility spectrum of amorphous CoZrTaB magnetic thin films are investigated using Brown's diffusion model describing continuous diffusion of magnetic spins. Brown's diffusion model is regressed onto experimental data for the amorphous CoZrTaB magnetic thin films with thicknesses spanning 80-530nm. The mathematical model presented successfully reproduces the thickness dependent dynamic magnetic susceptibility of the amorphous CoZrTaB magnetic thin films with strong statistical significance. The model proposes the formation of additional energy wells in the uniaxial anisotropy energy plane of the material after a critical film thickness. The sub-FMR resonance peaks arise when the frequency of the external excitation field approaches the natural frequency of the well. Furthermore, the additional energy wells in the anisotropy energy plane cause a breakdown in the axial symmetry of the anisotropy energy plane. This breakdown of axial symmetry results in dynamic coupling between the transverse (chi(perpendicular to)) and longitudinal (chi(parallel to)) magnetic susceptibility. This dynamic coupling results in the initial low frequency step-down in the magnetic susceptibility observed in the thicker CoZrTaB magnetic thin films. It is found that the application of an external bias magnetic field along the easy axis of the amorphous CoZrTaB magnetic thin films suppresses the sub-FMR resonance peaks by restoring the axial symmetry of the anisotropy energy plane

Methods for latent image simulations in photolithography with a polychromatic light attenuation equation for fabricating VIAs in 2.5D and 3D advanced packaging architectures

As demand accelerates for multifunctional devices with a small footprint and minimal power consumption, 2.5D and 3D advanced packaging architectures have emerged as an essential solution that use through-substrate vias (TSVs) as vertical interconnects. Vertical stacking enables chip packages with increased functionality, enhanced design versatility, minimal power loss, reduced footprint and high bandwidth. Unlocking the potential of photolithography for vertical interconnect access (VIA) fabrication requires fast and accurate predictive modeling of diffraction effects and resist film photochemistry. This procedure is especially challenging for broad-spectrum exposure systems that use, for example, Hg bulbs with g-, h-, and i-line UV radiation. In this paper, we present new methods and equations for VIA latent image determination in photolithography that are suitable for broad-spectrum exposure and negate the need for complex and time-consuming in situ metrology. Our technique is accurate, converges quickly on the average modern PC and could be readily integrated into photolithography simulation software. We derive a polychromatic light attenuation equation from the Beer-Lambert law, which can be used in a critical exposure dose model to determine the photochemical reaction state. We integrate this equation with an exact scalar diffraction formula to produce a succinct equation comprising a complete coupling between light propagation phenomena and photochemical behavior. We then perform a comparative study between 2D/3D photoresist latent image simulation geometries and directly corresponding experimental data, which demonstrates a highly positive correlation. We anticipate that this technique will be a valuable asset to photolithography, micro- and nano-optical systems and advanced packaging/system integration with applications in technology domains ranging from space to automotive to the Internet of Things (IoT)

Comprehensive design procedure for racetrack microinductors

Present needs in efficiency and integration are driving research towards the miniaturization of power converters. Among the latest components to achieve the desired degree of integration are cored micro-inductors and they are still one of the hardest devices to optimize, due to the high number of freedom degrees in their fabrication. In this paper, a comprehensive design procedure for these micro-inductors is presented. The proposed method makes it possible to design the optimal device in a single iteration. It also allows the designer to easily ascertain the limits of the inductor in terms of handled current and losses and provides valuable physical insight on the output of the process

High-Q 3D Microfabricated Magnetic-core Toroidal Inductors for Power Supplies in Package

Integration of power inductors is a roadblock in realizing highly miniaturized power supply in package (PwrSiP) and power supply on chip (PwrSoC). Inductors in such power system are used for energy storage and filtering, but they dominate in size and loss. This paper presents a novel 3D through-silicon via (TSV) magnetic-core toroidal inductor for PwrSiP. The magnetic-powder-based core is embedded into TSV air-core inductor using a casting method. The unique air-core inductor design with a hollow core and suspended windings enable a complete core filling with microscale magnetic powders. TSV magnetic-core inductors are fabricated in a compact size of 2.4 x 2.4 x 0.28 mm with the core content varying from 63 to 88 weight percent of soft ferrite NiZn powders. Small-signal measurements show a three-fold higher inductance of 112 nH and a 30% higher quality factor of 14.3 at 12.5 MHz for TSV magnetic-core inductors compared to similar TSV air-core inductors. The results are verified by the modelled results. The total core loss is characterized by large-signal measurements. A suitable inductor is implemented in a zero-voltage-switching 12-MHz buck converter. The converter achieves a peak efficiency of 72% and the output power of 2.4 W converting 12 to 5 VDC

Missing and accounted for: gaps and areas of wealth in the public health review literature

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>High-quality review evidence is useful for informing and influencing public health policy and practice decisions. However, certain topic areas lack representation in terms of the quantity and quality of review literature available. The objectives of this paper are to identify the quantity, as well as quality, of review-level evidence available on the effectiveness of public health interventions for public health decision makers.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Searches conducted on <url>http://www.health-evidence.ca</url> produced an inventory of public health review literature in 21 topic areas. Gaps and areas of wealth in the review literature, as well as the proportion of reviews rated methodologically strong, moderate, or weak were identified. The top 10 topic areas of interest for registered users and visitors of <url>http://www.health-evidence.ca</url> were extracted from user profile data and Google Analytics.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Registered users' top three interests included: 1) healthy communities, 2) chronic diseases, and 3) nutrition. The top three preferences for visitors included: 1) chronic diseases, 2) physical activity, and 3) addiction/substance use. All of the topic areas with many (301+) available reviews were of interest to registered users and/or visitors (mental health, physical activity, addiction/substance use, adolescent health, child health, nutrition, adult health, and chronic diseases). Conversely, the majority of registered users and/or visitors did not have preference for topic areas with few (≤ 150) available reviews (food safety and inspection, dental health, environmental health) with the exception of social determinants of health and healthy communities. Across registered users' and visitors' topic areas of preference, 80.2% of the reviews were of well-done methodological quality, with 43.5% of reviews having a strong quality rating and 36.7% a moderate review quality rating.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>In topic areas in which many reviews are available, higher level syntheses are needed to guide policy and practice. For other topic areas with few reviews, it is necessary to determine whether primary study evidence exists, or is needed, so that reviews can be conducted in the future. Considering that less than half of the reviews available on <url>http://www.health-evidence.ca</url> are of strong methodological quality, the quality of the review-level evidence needs to improve across the range of public health topic areas.</p